Steelers Now
The Cincinnati Bengals could be even more shorthanded on Thursday night.
The Cincinnati Bengals could be without one of their top players against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night after he went down with an injury during their Week 6 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Bengals star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson’s status for their Week 7 battle with the Steelers is very much in question after he suffered a back injury, especially playing on a short week.
#Bengals star edge Trey Hendrickson was ruled out with a back injury.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 12, 2025
If Hendrickson is unable to play come Thursday, it will certainly be a big blow to Cincinnati’s defense, which has already been one of the worst units in the league, allowing the second-most total yards per game (394.2) and third-most points per game (30.5).
Hendrickson has proven to be one of the defense’s few bright spots, posting back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons in 2023 and 2024, and he looked like he was picking up right where he left off with four sacks and one forced fumble through the first six games this season.
Hendrickson wasn’t the only Bengals player who went down on Sunday, either. Starting tight end Mike Gesicki also left the game with a pectoral injury, leaving his status in doubt. Both of Cincinnati’s starting guards are hurt, and of course, the absence of star quarterback Joe Burrow continues to loom over the team.
The Steelers are heavy favorites over the Bengals. However, short weeks have proven to be difficult to play on, so Pittsburgh must do everything it can to avoid this becoming a trap game.
While the Steelers are very familiar with the Bengals, so are the Bengals with the Steelers, and neither side is taking this matchup lightly.
“It’s a divisional game, but also, just the rankings we got going on, the standings where we at right now. We know the Steelers are going to try to come in and raw-dog us and kill us,” Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase said. “But we going to be ready for that challenge and we gonna be waiting for it.”
“We know the Steelers are going to come in and try to raw-dog us and kill us. But we will be ready for that challenge and waiting for it.” Ja’Marr Chase knows what’s at stake Thursday night at Paycor against the Steelers with the division standings being what they are. pic.twitter.com/hcPSDRMmgI
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) October 13, 2025
The Steelers currently sit atop the division at 4-1 with the Bengals (2-4), Baltimore Ravens (1-5) and Cleveland Browns (1-5) following behind.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Bengals Star Pass Rusher Suffers Injury Ahead of Steelers Matchup
